


'Round the Campfire

by carolej126



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Family, Gen, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 13:41:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18621781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126
Summary: Originally written as a The Sentinel fic.





	'Round the Campfire

"Hey, JD." Nudging his friend, seven year old Vin pointed at the sky. "Did you see the moon?"

JD's eyes opened wide in wonder. "Look, Buck! The moon's out," the five year old called with excitement. "And it's round." 

"It's called a full moon, JD," Buck explained, gazing up at the bright orb.

"Look, Chris. It's a full moon!" 

Checking the sky as directed, Chris nodded. "It sure is, JD," he said with a yawn. 

"Tired?" Buck asked, smiling at the muffled words. 

"Yep," was all Chris got out before he yawned again.

Buck chuckled in commiseration. He gestured toward the two boys sitting between them. "After following these two around all day, you should be. I don't know where they get all that energy." 

"Are you hinting I'm getting old, pard?" Chris's eyes were twinkling.

"Nope. 'Cause if you are, I am, too."

"You're not old, Buck," JD said in reassurance, leaning back against his father's legs. "Not like Uncle Josiah. He's real old."

"Thanks, JD," Buck laughed, wondering how Josiah would feel about that sentiment. 

"How old do you think he is?" Chris asked the five year old curiously.

JD didn't blink. "One hundred and ten."

"One hundred and ten?" Chris sputtered, riding over Vin's protestations.

"Yeah."

"No, he's not," Vin finally got in. "He's fifty-six. Right, Chris?"

Chris draped his arm around his son's shoulders. "That's right, Vin."

"Fifty-six," JD echoed. "That's a five and a six. Buck, Mrs. Potter has grey hair just like Josiah. Is she fifty-six, too?"

"You're not supposed to ask," Vin corrected him.

Confused, JD looked to his friend for help. "Why not?" he asked.

Vin shrugged. "Chris said some ladies don't like to tell how old they are."

"Oh." JD thought for a moment. "How will we know how many candles to put on her birthday cake?"

Trying not to laugh, Buck ducked his head. "Well..." 

"I'll just ask her how many candles she wants," JD decided for himself.

"Good idea," Chris assured him. He flashed a grin at Buck, then turned as Vin tapped his arm.

"Can we go fishing again tomorrow?" The boy looked up at his father, his eyes filled with hope. 

Pondering the question, Chris leaned back, crossing his arms and assuming a serious expression. "Depends."

"On what?" asked Vin curiously.

"On what?" JD piped up.

With a conspiratorial wink at the younger boy, Chris pointed at his son, shaking his finger. "On whether or not you're going to catch more fish than your father again."

Vin laughed. "Okay, I'll let you catch more this time."

"A lot more," Chris suggested.

"A lot more," Vin amended. 

"In that case, yes," Chris said, accenting his words with a playful swat to Vin's head. 

"Can we go hiking, too?" JD wanted to know, jumping back into the conversation.

"Sure."

"And swimming?" 

"We can do that, too," Buck assured him.

"Good," JD mumbled around a yawn. "Vin's going to help me find some more shells."

"Getting sleepy, kiddo?" 

JD nodded. "A little."

Buck smiled knowingly. "Up too late last night?"

Nodding again, JD admitted, "Me and Vin were talking."

"Looked more like a pillow fight to me," Chris chimed in. "What about you, Vin?"

Clearly remembering the laughing and horseplay that the two boys had engaged in before falling asleep, Vin exchanged a sheepish look with his best friend. "Just a little one," he confessed.

Chris laughed. "A little one, huh?"

"And then we had a contest to see who could stay up the latest," JD blurted out, despite Vin's best attempts to shush him.

"You did, did you?" Buck asked, finding it hard to hide his amusement. "So, who won?"

JD's face lit up with excitement. "I did."

"You did not," Vin protested, sitting up straight in indignation.

"Did too," JD argued back. "You were snoring."

"I was not."

Chris cleared his throat in a deliberate manner. "Do you think we can trust these two to get some sleep tonight?" he asked in a mock serious tone. "I'd really hate to cancel tomorrow's canoeing trip."

"I don't know," Buck replied thoughtfully, a smile teasing at the corners of his mouth. "Maybe we should split them up, one on each side of the tent."

Both men grinned as the two boys immediately assumed identical postures. With hands folded in their laps and angelic expressions on their faces, they were the picture of innocence.

"We'll be good," they chorused as one.

"I'm sure you will," Chris chuckled, tousling his son's hair.

"You better be," Buck laughingly threatened, reaching down to affectionately squeeze his son's shoulder. 

"We will," JD promised. "We'll go right to sleep this time." 

"It's almost bedtime now. Are you two ready to hit the sack?" Chris questioned. 

"Can we have dessert first, Chris? Please?" Running back to the tent he shared with JD, Vin retrieved a bag of marshmallows. 

Bouncing excitedly at the prospect, JD tugged at Buck's jacket sleeve. "Please, Buck," the five year old begged. 

Buck raised his eyebrows in amazement. "After all those fish you had for dinner, you still have room for dessert?"

"Lots of room," JD assured him. He patted his stomach. "See?" 

"Chris?"

Chris nodded. "Okay by me."

JD held his breath, awaiting his foster father's decision.

"Marshmallows first, and then bed," Buck agreed, smiling as his words brought out an ecstatic "Yay!" from both boys. "But I want you to be careful. Don't get too close to the fire."

"I won't."

"That goes for you, too, junior," Buck directed toward Vin.

"We'll be careful," Vin promised in all seriousness, placing a protective hand on JD's arm. "I won't let him get hurt."

Buck smiled. "I know you-"

"Buck?" JD interrupted, his eyes pleading. "What about the marshmallows? Can we do it now?"

"Yes, we can do it now," Buck laughed. He exchanged a grin with Chris before turning to his son. "Marshmallows it is. Let me show you how I used to do it." 

Under the direction and watchful eye of both men, the two boys spent several minutes roasting marshmallows over the fire. At first disappointed to pull back charcoal blobs instead of the expected gooey treats, they soon learned to position their marshmallows over the glowing embers instead of into the flame.

When their stomachs were finally satisfied, and their eyes were beginning to close with exhaustion, Vin and JD moved back from the fire, flopping down side by side on the ground in front of their fathers. 

With Buck's hand resting on his shoulder, JD gazed up into the night sky, mesmerized by the sparkling stars. Vin stared sleepily out into the darkness, his father's fingers methodically, gently, threading through his hair.

"Hey, Chris."

"Hmmm?" Larabee murmured, his eyes closed.

"Look." Buck gestured toward a small moonlit clearing. "Boys, look."

As Chris opened his eyes, and the two boys turned around, a doe hesitantly stepped out onto the grass. At her side, a spotted fawn tottered on unsteady feet. 

"That's Bambi," JD whispered in awe.

The deer paused, her head lifted high. Listening and smelling, she evaluated her surroundings. The small fawn, leaning against his mother's legs, nuzzled the warm figure beside him. Suddenly, the doe bolted into action, pushing the youngster ahead of her, and the family of two disappeared into the brush.

"Wow." JD watched the clearing, hoping for another glimpse of the two animals. "Are they gone?"

Vin nodded regretfully. "Yeah."

"Maybe we'll see them again tomorrow night," Buck offered, seeing the small boy's disappointment.

JD's face brightened. "I hope so. Hey, Buck? Can Uncle Nathan and Uncle Ezra and Uncle Josiah come camping with us next time? I want them to see Bambi, too." 

Knowing not to make a promise with the busy working schedules the men often faced, Buck suggested, "Why don't you ask them when we get back home?" 

"Okay. I will." The issue settled to his satisfaction, he relaxed back against Vin's side, his gaze returning to the fire. It wasn't long before the lure of sleep drew him in. Vin affectionately pulled him closer, tucking the ends of his jacket around the smaller boy as JD rested his head on his friend's shoulder. A few minutes later the older child propped his cheek on JD's black locks and closed his eyes in turn.

"I think the boys are ready for bed."

Buck looked up at Chris's softly spoken words. "So is this dad," he admitted with a wide yawn. "I'm beat."

"Me, too," Chris admitted in turn. Rising to his feet, he paused, surveying his extended family with an air of contentment. A soft sigh escaped his lips, drawing Buck's attention. As both sets of blue eyes met, Chris smiled, his pride and satisfaction obvious to the younger man. "We got lucky again, didn't we?"

Understanding immediately, Buck looked down at the two boys with a tender expression. "Friends and family. It doesn't get any better than this, does it?

"Nope." After quickly putting out the fire, Chris leaned over to carefully pick Vin up, as Buck lifted JD into his arms. The two boys were carried into the tent and deposited on the large mattress they shared.

"I think we've got jammie duty tonight," Chris said, as both boys sagged almost bonelessly on the pillows. Jeans and sweatshirts were quickly exchanged for sweatpants and t-shirts, neither child awakening during the procedure, and then the youngsters were tucked into their sleeping bags. 

"Goodnight, son," Chris murmured, brushing a kiss on Vin's forehead. "I love you."

Covering his son with an extra blanket for warmth, Buck smiled as JD nuzzled his face into the soft fleece. Leaning forward to kiss JD's cheek, he whispered to the sleeping child, "I love you, Little Bit. Goodnight."


End file.
